


I Want to Protect You

by pretty_pendragon



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, Canon Related, Fix-It, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Good Morgana (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Magic Revealed, Magic-Users, Not Canon Compliant, Platonic Relationships, Platonic Romance, Protective Merlin, Protective Merlin (Merlin), Romantic Friendship, Sorry Gaius but you were fucking wrong son, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 00:49:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17777402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pretty_pendragon/pseuds/pretty_pendragon
Summary: Inspired by an ask prompt I received on Tumblr, this is my take as to how episode 2x03: The Nightmare Begins should have gone. Sorry Gaius, you were fucking wrong son!





	I Want to Protect You

**Author's Note:**

> Please Note: This fic can be viewed either platonically or romantically, and is not meant to be purely one or the other.

Merlin had just set down the finely ground herbs he had been crushing when Morgana rushed into his and Gaius’ chambers.

“Is Gaius here?” she asked urgently, and a tad breathless. Her emerald green eyes were wide with fear as she stood trembling before Merlin in her flowing silver nightgown.

“No, he’s not here at the moment…he should be back soon though,” Merlin responded hesitantly, trying to withhold his conflicted feelings from betraying him.

Merlin was worried about Morgana, more than he could express, but he wasn’t sure what Gaius would want him to say to her. He didn’t know what to do.

“I need to speak to him. Where is he?” Morgana asked panickily, her eyes darting to and fro about the room.

“He’s gone to see the King,” Merlin responded stiffly. He could see her shoulders slump.

“What’s wrong?” he asked tentatively, though he knew quite well what was wrong.

Morgana’s wide eyes moved to Merlin’s face, but she did not seem able to speak.

“You can trust me, Morgana,” Merlin said softly. He wanted to help her, so badly. “You know you can,” he added reassuringly.

 _Talk to her_ , Merlin had begged Gaius,  _Tell her she’ll be okay._

“I’m scared, Merlin,” Morgana whimpered. “I don’t understand anything anymore. I need to know what’s happening to me. Please.”

Merlin breathed in deeply. Morgana’s eyes were pleading. Pleading and scared.

 _Morgana knows nothing for certain_ , Gaius had said.

 _Which makes it even worse!_  Merlin had yelled, frustrated.  _She isn’t sure what’s happening to her and it’s tearing her apart!_

Yes, Merlin knew what that felt like. But he had his mother to explain to him that he was special, that he was loved, and that he was safe.

“Gaius will be back soon,” Merlin said weakly, “He’ll be able to help you.” It pained Merlin to try and be so horribly dismissive.

Morgana pressed insistently, “He won’t. I don’t want any more remedies. They won’t do any good.” Pausing for a moment, as if mustering courage, she then whispered, “It’s magic, Merlin.”

Merlin’s chest suddenly felt tight, and he barely managed a response, “What?” he choked out. He hadn’t expected her to confess her suspicions to him.

“I’m your friend, you know I wouldn’t make this up,” Morgana told him sincerely, stepping closer to him.

“Of course…” Merlin said quietly.

For a moment, Morgana’s eyes searched Merlin’s intensely, hopefully.

“Then you believe me?” she asked eagerly. “You think it’s magic too,” she prompted.

Merlin inhaled sharply.

“Please, Merlin,” she implored desperately, coming even closer, “I just need to hear someone say it, so I don’t keep feeling like I’m imagining it.”

 _I understand what she’s going through. I went through the same thing_.

 _You cannot get involved in this. No good can come of it_.

Merlin’s mouth went dry and his heart beat violently in his chest, so hard that he wondered if Morgana could hear it. She looked at Merlin as if he was her only hope.

Gaius’ words kept running through his head.  _You must never reveal your secret. Not to anyone_.

Merlin put a comforting hand on Morgana’s shivering shoulder.

_I mean it, Merlin—stay out of it!_

But looking into Morgana’s frightened, almost helpless eyes, he had to. Merlin’s eyes flashed gold as he splayed his hand open and a small green flame began burning on his palm.

Although it seemed impossible, Morgana’s eyes grew even wider as she mesmerized by the dancing fire Merlin had conjured. The green of the flame illuminated the color of her eyes, making them unbelievably emerald color.

“Merlin,” she whispered in awe.

With a shake of his hand, the fire was gone.

Morgana’s eyes had welled with tears, and her bottom lip quivered. “So I’m not imagining it,” she said, relief rampant in her voice.

“No,” Merlin responded, his voice low. “And you’re not alone,” he assured, and then wrapped his arms around a shaking Morgana. She nearly melted into his embrace, and he could hear her quiet sobs, muffled in the shoulder of his tunic.

“It’s alright Morgana,” Merlin murmured, “You’re safe, I promise.”

She pulled back from his embrace, and he gently thumbed away the tears that streamed down her face.

“I want to keep you safe,” he whispered, caressing the side of her soft face with his hand. He tucked some of her flowing raven hair behind her ear, and offered her an understanding, warm smile.

Then he pressed his lips to her forehead in a comforting kiss. “I want to protect you, Morgana,” he breathed.

And so he did.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first non-Merthur fic, so I hope I did a decent job. Let me know what you think, and thank you for reading! :)


End file.
